INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC.

.

IT is with a feeling of relief that
I turn from the subject of Manx Ballads to that of Manx
Melodies1, as I am confident that, whatever may be thought
of the former, the latter will commend themselves to the musical
portion of my readers. There can, at least, be little doubt that, in
most cases, they are older than, as well as superior to, the words
which are now set to them2. Indeed it is probable that
they were for the most part originally composed without words, and it
would appear from the evidence of Chaloner and Quayle, given below,
that many of them were dance tunes. In the present collection,
however, there are only eight tunes which are, or might be, dance
tunes3, and not only these, but all the tunes published,
have, or have had, words attached to them4. Before stating
the sources from whence they have been derived, I will quote what
previous writers have said about Manx music in the past. Chaloner,
writing in the middle of the 17th century, remarked that
the Manx people were "much addicted to the music of the
Violyne5 ; so that there is scarce a Family in the Island,
but more or lesse can play upon it; but as they are ill composers, so
are they bad Players."6 It is probable, however, that his
unfavourable judgment was due rather to the strangeness of the music
to his English ear than to the want of skill in the players. Eighty
years later, another Englishman, Waldron, mentioned the fact of one
tune being invariably played at Manx weddings, but this tune, " The
Black and the Grey," was not Manx, being in vogue in England during
the reign of Charles I I. It would seem, that, at
this: period, musical instruments were very scarce, as it is said
that the people used flutes made of the elder tree at the time of
rejoicing, when Bishop Wilson was released from prison in 1722.
The next mention of Manx music is in 1812, when Quayle, in
writing about the Harvest festival, or Mheillea, said:
"English country dances are still unknown to them. Jigs and reels, in
which four or five couples join, take their place, the fiddler
changing his tune and often playing one of the few national lively
airs preserved from early times, resembling strongly in character the
Irish."7 It was about this time that four part singing was
first introduced into the Island by a man called Shepherd,
who wrote down several of the old Manx sacred airs, but he did not
publish them,8 so that Manx tunes first appeared in print
in a book entitled " The Mona Melodies. A Collection of Ancient and
Original Airs of the Isle of Man,"9 which was published in
1820. It will suffice to say that this book abounds in errors against
musical canons, but the worst fault committed by its authors is the
distortion of the melodies in the fruitless effort to make them fit
the feeble verses which Barrow composed to accompany them. Inferior
as are the words, for instance, of Mylecharaine, Kirree fo
Niaghtey, Berrey Dhone, and Caillin veg
Dhone10to the music to which they are set,
they are, at least, not so inappropriate as the following:

( I ) Mylecharaine-

" Dear Mona farewell, for why should I
stay ,
' Mid scenes of grief and pain:
Tho' sad be the hour and gloomy the day
I leave my dear Molly Charane
Oh I bright are thy charms and brilliant shine eyes
Thine heart without a stain
And all parting sorrows, fears, and sighs
Are shine, my sweet Molly Charane."

My readers will bear in mind that Mylecharaine was a man!

.

(2) Kirree fo Niaghtey-

" At close of day when o'er the ocean
gleaming,
The lingering sunbeams kissed each murm'ring billow,
A sea nymph waking from her tranquil dreaming,
Thus sang slow rising from her emerald pillow."

(3) Berrey Dhone-

"Often hath the Poet's lay,
Delighted sung the praise of beauty
Beauty still hath been the shrine
Where verse hath paid its noblest duty."

After perusing these effusions no one will be surprised to find
that, in their introduction, the authors felicitate themselves on
having placed " so wild and unpolished a Muse " in " fetters." They
have certainly done so. Having thus criticised the first collection
of Manx music, I will describe the manner in which the present
collection has been made, hoping that it, in its turn, may not
deserve condemnation. Careful inquiries have been made in every
parish in the Island with reference to those who were acquainted with
old tunes. Competent musicians have then visited them and have taken
down the music from their lips.11 In cases where the
versions given have varied slightly, that which appeared to be more
correct has been taken. But in the few cases where the tunes of the
same song vary considerably, such as in YnBollan Bane, Hop-tu-nua, and Mylecharane two
versions are given. In the last well-known tune there are numerous
slight variations, in addition to the broad distinction between the
version in the major key and that in the minor. The version in the
major key is the most widely known, but that in the minor key, for
which I am indebted to Mr. James B. Nicholson, is undoubtedly the
older of the two. This process, then, has resulted in the acquisition
of the following tunes and versions of tunes:

Great care has been taken to obtain these tunes in their original
form, and no preconception as to the probability of their having been
in Celtic or other modes has been suffered to interfere with a
faithful reproduction of the melodic phrases as heard from the iips
of their singers. Of the remaining ten tunes, the nine which follow
are from the " Mona Melodies:"12, Tappagyn Jiargey, Illiam
Dhone, CaillinVeg Dhone, My Graih Nagh Baare,* Sheign Dooin,* My Henn
Ghooinney, Berrey Dhone, Skeeylley Breeshey, Isabel Foalsey.* and
one, Kirree fo Niaghtey13, from Volume
XVI of the Manx Society's publications. As regards the
origin of these tunes, I cannot venture to give any opinion, but I
would point out that, excepting two, of which variants are found in
England, Scotland, and Ireland, two more, one of which bears a strong
likeness to an English nursery song and the other to an Irish melody,
and three or four others which are dubious,14 the most
diligent comparison has failed to find any close likeness between
them and the national airs of the adjacent countries, though their
general character is decidedly Irish. It is certain, however, that
the rigid criticism to which I hope they will be subjected will
result in the discovery of further resemblances.
And, indeed, it is probable that Manxmen, living as
they do in an island situated between Ireland, Scotland, and the
north of England, have appropriated some of the music of these
countries.15 And now for a few words about the harmonizing
of the melodies. They have all, with the exception of the minor
version of Mylecharaine,16 been admirably arranged by Miss
Wood, A.R.C.O., with the assistance of Miss McKnight, F.R.C.O., and
their work, as regards the greater number of the tunes, has been
submitted to the revision of Mr. Colin Brown, the great authority on
Celtic music. With reference to the harmonies, it must be remembered
that, as they are, of course, not original, they are not supposed to
be of any value for historical or scientific purposes, but, as being
beautiful in themselves and suggested by the tunes and their
development, there is good reason to believe that they will be
acceptable to the musical public. I hope that the result of this
little book will be to admit the music of the Isle of Man to a
distinct, though humble, share in the great hody of national music
which is now being so generally colleCted, and that in it may be
found, in the striking words of a recent writer, " the national
idioms in their simplest and most unsophisticated
expression."17 For I can state, with confidence, that a "
prettified Englished presentation"18 of these old melodies
has carefully been avoided, and that every effort has been made to
preserve them with all their " strange, outlandish, and
unconventional qualities." 18

And now there only remains the pleasant task of thanking those who
have so kindly and cordially cooperated with me. To Mr. W. J. Cain I
have already referred, and so I need only add that his assistance has
heen invaluable. The enjoyment my readers will derive from Mr.
J. M. Nicholson's
charming and sympathetic illustrations will enable them to perceive
how greatly I am indebted to him, and, in the same way, they will
appreciate how much Mr. T. E.
Brown's able and suggestive preface has added to the value of
this publication. Coming to the music, I have to acknowledge the
skill and perseverance which Mr. H. Bridson has shown in obtaining so
many of the tunes. His work has been difficult and, indeed, it would
have been found impossible by any one who is not only a thorough
musician but a good Manxman. I need not dwell upon my obligations to
Miss Wood and Miss McKnight for their clever and beautiful harmonies,
and to Mr. Colin Brown for his advice and guidance, as they are
selfevident. Then there are the many friends" who have contributed
ballads and tunes, and, finally, there are the printers, Messrs. G.
and R. Johnson, who have carried out their part of the work with
extreme care.

A. W. MOORE.

Cronkbourne,
September 1896.

Since the above was sent to the press the volume of " Manx
National Songs,' arranged by Mr. W. H. Gill, has been published,
and so I have the opportunity of cordially thanking Mr. Gill for the
kind remarks he has made about me in his able introductory account of
"Manx Music," and of congratulating him and his coadjutors, The
Deemster Gill and Dr. J. Clague, on having preserved some beautiful
melodies.

Footnotes

[note these have been renumbered from the
original]

* Without words. § Sung to English
words.

1 By the term "Manx Melodies " I do not wish it to
be understood that I claim them as necessirily of native origin. but
simply that they are melodies known to the Manx people by oral
tradition.

2 Some melodies are sung to more than one set of
words. Thus the tune of Mannin Veg Veen is also applied to
Jladgyn y Jiase, Yn Coayl jeh ny Baatyn Skeddan to Yn
Sterrym ec Port le Moirrey, and Inneenyn Eirinee to
YnVenainshter Devil.

4 Thus the 'Lullaby" has English words. Fragments
of the words of Jemmy as Nancy are in existence, but I have
not been able to secure them in an intelligible iorm. Jly Gl aih
nagh boare and Sheign dooin, given by Barrow, are clearly
the beginning of the Manx words which belonged to these tunes, as
they have no connexion with his English words, while Isabel
Foalsey, given by the same writer is the title of a love-song to
which there were once words. Indeed, it is protable that it was sung
to the ballad (pages 100-103) so entitled the reason that it is no
longer adapted to it being, seemingly that Barrow had it altered to
suit his own doggerel.

5 This he notes as heing strange because of "their
neighbours, the northern English, the Scots, the Highlanders, and the
Irish, generally, affecting the Bag-pipe."Manx Society, Vol.
X,
page 11.

8 I have not been able to obtain them, but they
are, I believe, to be published by Messrs.Gill And Clague, in their
forthcoming book of Manx music.

9 They were " arranged for the voice with a
Pianoforte accompaniment by an Amateur." dilligent enquiry has failed
to discover who he was. The words were written by Mr. J. Barrow, who
was organist ofSt. George's Church in Douglas. 'I'he book was
dedicated to the Duchess of Kent and was published " at Mitchell's
Musical Library and Instrument Warehouses, 159 New Hand Street and 13
Southampton Row, Russell Square. Price 8s." It Is now exceedingly
scarce.

10 These songs are headed by the Manx titles as
given.

11 Twenty-nine tunes have been obtained by Mr. H.
Bridson, two by Mr.J. E. Kelly of Peel, two by Mrs. Ferrier, one each
by Mr. James B. Nicholson, Miss A. Gell, and Miss Graves.

12There are thirteen
melodies altogether in this collection, but of these I have been able
to get two orally, and one, Kirree fo Niaghtey, is taken from
the better version in Vol. XVI of the Manx Society's
publications Of the remaining ten tunes, all of which are unknown
at the present day, I have copied nine unaltered, and have discarded
the tenth which does not appear to be of Celtic origin, and bears the
distinctly non-Celtic name of 'Wandescope.'
[see comment
by
Clague - also is it the
unnesup
discussed by Roeder ? both
of which have the meaning 'deserving' or reward]

13 This is from a MS. of the late T. T. Crellin of
Orrysdale. In my version, however, the accidentals have been omitted,
so as to present the tune in its probably original form.

14 Twobars of another tune resemble those
of a well-known Irish air. I have not in any case mentioned the names
of the tunes in question, as I think it better that the ingenuity of
my critics should be exercised in discovering them.

15 There were formerly more Manx tunes in
existence than there are now, as is shown by the facts that out of
the thirteen melodies published in 1820, only three are known at the
present day, and that, as I have been frequently assured many tunes
have recently been lost by the death of those who alone were
acquainted with them. There are, doubtless, also many tunes now in
existence which I have not been able to secure, especially dance
tunes, to which I have not particularly directed my attention. I may
mention here that I have collected a number of the peculiar sacred
tunes which are sung to the Carols, with a view to publication in a
separate volume.

16 Harmonised by Mr. James B.
Nicholson.

17 Studies in Modern Music. 2nd Series (W.
H. Hadow), p. 24.

18 Lecture by Sir A. Mackenzie on "National
Music," at the Royal Institution.